WEST HAM have sparked the chase for Andy Carroll into life with an £18million offer for the striker to leave Newcastle facing a fight in their efforts to resign him.

Liverpool received a bid from the London club yesterday that would see Carroll join Sam Allardyce’s side initially on loan for a £2m fee, but with West Ham guaranteeing a further £16m next summer providing they remain in the Premier League.

The offer, which would dwarf the current club record £7.5m paid to Liverpool for Craig Bellamy, remains on the negotiating table as Liverpool wait to discover whether it will kick-start a bidding war. The development leaves the onus firmly on Newcastle.

Their initial bid to take Carroll on loan with a view to a permanent £12m deal was instantly rejected a fortnight ago by the Anfield club.

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew this week stirred the pot by claiming Liverpool will have to accept they will suffer a monumental hit on their £35m Carroll outlay in January 2011.

West Ham’s gambit will strengthen Liverpool’s resolve to hold out for £20m

West Ham’s gambit will strengthen Liverpool’s resolve to hold out for £20m for a player deemed surplus by manager Brendan Rodgers.